Category: Commentary

Photo Essay: Gaza children begin school amid devastation caused by Israeli violence

September 14, 2014September 24, 2018 Mohammed Asad 1 Comment

Gaza children begin school amid devastation caused by Israeli violence By Mohammed Asad More than 50,000 Palestinian school children showed up for the first day of classes at more than 125 schools in the Gaza Strip in Palestine, weeks after Israel abruptly ended its vicious military assault and violence against the civilian population. Children were forced to gather…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, Mohammed Asad, News, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight

H.E. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi to Receive the 2014 HCEF Path of Peace Award

September 12, 2014September 12, 2014 rayhanania No Comments

H.E. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi to Receive the 2014 HCEF Path of Peace Award Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, will receive the 2014 HCEF Path of Peace Award on Friday, October 17, 2014 at the HCEF Awards Banquet, held in conjunction with the 16th International Conference,…

Activism, American Arabs, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

President Obama strategy to defeat ISIL might not work

September 12, 2014September 24, 2018 Ali Younes No Comments

President Obama strategy to defeat ISIL might not work By Ali Younes President Barack Obama announced last night his long awaited strategy to authorize air strikes against the extremist terrorist group that calls itself the ‘Islamic State in Iraq and Levant” (ISIL). Obama also announced the sending of more US troops to the region totaling…

Ali Younes, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Spotlight, Syria

Ted Cruz and his anti-Christian stand on Christian Arabs

September 12, 2014October 9, 2018 rayhanania 1 Comment

Ted Cruz and his anti-Christian stand on Christian Arabs Republican Tea Party Senator says persecution of Christians by extremist Muslims is wrong but persecution of Christians by Israel is God’s will By Ray Hanania U.S. Senator Ted Cruz showed how little he knows or cares about true Christians when stepped onto a stage before an audience of…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Israel, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Video

University of Illinois Board formally votes to deny Salaita hiring

September 11, 2014November 30, 2020 rayhanania 2 Comments

University of Illinois Board formally votes to deny Salaita hiring Is anti-Arab bias the driving factor in punishing Salaita for his opinions critical of Israel. What role does Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn play in the free speech drama and academic freedom By Ray Hanania The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign voted…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Americans serving in Israel military violate US laws

September 11, 2014September 24, 2018 rayhanania 2 Comments

Americans serving in Israel military violate US laws By Dr. Aref Assaf During his much anticipated speech on Wednesday, President Barack Obama promised that he will be, “Working with our partners, we will redouble our efforts to cut off its funding, counter its warped ideology, improve our intelligence, strengthen our defenses, and stem the flow of…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Israel, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight, Syria

The Crisis in Palestine

September 11, 2014November 30, 2020 Usama Ghanayem 1 Comment

By Usama Ghanayem You do not have to be a brain surgeon to see what is happening in Palestine. Israel is trying to eviscerate the Palestinians entirely. They have turned the West Bank into a series of bantustans. Meaning, the occupied territories have been turned into fragmented enclaves surrounded by high walls, guard towers, “Jewish only”…

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Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan

Salaita hires powerful civil rights legal team, demands reinstatement at UIUC

September 9, 2014September 24, 2018 rayhanania 1 Comment

Salaita hires powerful civil rights legal team, demands reinstatement UIUC By Ray Hanania Steven Salaita, who was fired before he could begin a new teaching position at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said he is the victim of a nationwide campaign to silence critics of a foreign country, Israel, and demanded that the university’s reinstate his tenured appointment…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, News, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

Christian Arab presence in Bethlehem in Crisis

September 9, 2014November 30, 2020 rayhanania No Comments

Christian Arab presence in Bethlehem in Crisis By Ray Hanania The issue of Christians in the Holy Land continues to be a topic that is twisted and distorted for political purposes with Muslims and Jews both arguing they do more for the increasingly deteriorating presence in traditionally Christian areas like Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour in the Israeli…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania, religion

Pro-ISIL Jordanian activist challenges Sotloff family spokesman to debate

September 9, 2014September 9, 2014 Ali Younes No Comments

Pro-ISIL Jordanian activist challenges Sotloff family spokesman to debate By Ali Younes In a statement sent to the Arab Daily News last Thursday, well-known Jordanian activist Mohamad Al Hadid challenged Barak Barfi, the spokesman for the family of murdered American Journalist Steven Sotloff, to a debate. Al Hadid said in his statement that he is ready…

Ali Younes, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, News, Palestine & Jordan, Syria

Podcast Interview: Naomi Shihab Nye on books, writing and journalism

September 8, 2014June 12, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Podcast Interview: Naomi Shihab Nye on books, writing and journalism By Ray Hanania This week on Talk of the Town Radio (Sept. 5, 2014) I interview author and writer Naomi Shihab Nye. The show is broadcast every Friday at 4 pm CST on WCEV 1450 AM and on YahalaVoice.com radio. Naomi discusses her writing and…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Podcast, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

APO Spirit at the Big Fat Kurdish Wedding!

September 7, 2014November 30, 2020 Abdennour Toumi No Comments

APO Spirit at the Big Fat Kurdish Wedding! By Abdennour Toumi Derbassiya, Turkey — Here in Turkey Kurdistan is very dear to the hearts and minds of Kurds across the region, including Mesopotamia and other historical places, and I wonder if any people have occupied such a unique position before. Certainly Kurdistan is very dear in…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Features, Spotlight

Update to Gaza Sisters Story

September 7, 2014April 13, 2019 Lilas Taha No Comments

Update to Gaza Sisters Story By Lilas Taha My family and I took a quick trip to Palestine in August. I was fortunate enough to meet with a doctor in Jerusalem, who was given permission to go into Gaza during the ceasefire that held for 5 days before the fighting resumed ending with the permanent…

Bloggers, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight

The Palestinian Nuclear Option: the Road to ICC Membership

September 5, 2014June 12, 2019 Ali Younes No Comments

The Palestinian Nuclear Option: the Road to ICC Membership By Ali Younes As soon as the war on Gaza that started on July 8 and lasted for 51 days ended the pressure started mounting on Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to file an application with the International Criminal Court ( ICC) as a way to punish…

Ali Younes, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan, Spotlight

Finding the elusive Moral High Ground in Israel-Gaza War

September 3, 2014April 13, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Finding the elusive Moral High Ground in Israel-Gaza War By Ray Hanania Creators Syndicate, August 28, 2014 Two-States, the plan to establish a Palestinian State on lands Israel occupied during the 1967 War, seems like an impossible task given the increasing animosity between Israelis and Jews, and Palestinians and Arabs. Yet, I have mixed feelings and…

Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan, Ray Hanania

Christian Baptists raise funds for needy in Iraq and Gaza

September 1, 2014November 30, 2020 rayhanania No Comments

Christian Baptists raise funds for needy in Iraq and Gaza By Ray Hanania Eron Henry of the Baptist World Alliance discusses fundraising efforts to help Christians who are being targeted by religious extremists in Iraq and in Syria. Henry, during an interview with Talk of the Town radio Friday August 29, 2014, said that the…

Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Palestine & Jordan, Podcast, Ray Hanania, religion, Syria

Coca Cola’s Name campaign is not #ShariaCoke but #Shareacoke

August 30, 2014August 30, 2014 rayhanania 1 Comment

Coca Cola’s Name campaign is not #ShariaCoke but #Shareacoke Take the survey below: Should Coca Cola add the name Mohammed to the list of Names? By Ray Hanania Calm down people. Coca Cola has a brand new marketing gimmick that has raised a few eyebrows, but it is not endorsing “Sharia Law” or taking sides in the emotion-driven…

American Arabs, Bloggers, Business, Commentary, Features, Ray Hanania, Spotlight

Farmers protest Turkish economic policies

August 30, 2014May 1, 2019 rayhanania No Comments

Farmers protest Turkish economic policies By Abdennour Toumi Mardin, Turkey — Last week, fire and barricades blocked the roads for three days as farmers protested their electricity and water being cut off to irrigate their corn fields. In the southern districts of Derik and Kiziltepe. Residents of these districts are angered by the lack of water and…

Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, News